At Dawn, When Everything Is Over
by Camila Hemsworth
Summary: Gale volunteers at the 74th Hunger Games with Katniss. Is she angry with him? Of course, because he broke their pact, but she's worried about something else: a weird dream with a man, calling her to meet at dawn, under a tree…
1. Fear the Reaping

**Hey everyone!**

**So this is my Galeniss fanfic where Gale volunteers (as the summary says); and I'd like to clear that my mother tongue is Spanish, so if you see any spelling mistake…**

_**I HOPE YOU LIKE IT**__, because it's the English version of my own fanfic! (I even translated it myself)_

_Ps. In the original one (Spanish) this chapter is longer: I cut the part when Kantiss volunteers because #yolo._

_Ps2. I am posting this fanfic on my tumblr too: .com_

**Summary:** Gale volunteers at the 74th Hunger Games with Katniss. Is she angry with him? Of course, because he broke their pact, but she's worried about something else: a weird dream with a man, calling her to meet at dawn, under a tree…

* * *

**At dawn**

**When everything is over**

_It isn't just a game, it's way more than that_

FIRST PART: THE TRIBUTES

* * *

**Chapter 1: " Fear the Reaping"**

Far away, in the 18 area, someone steps aside from the crowd. My hands are sweating and all I can think of is what has already happened in today's Reaping: I volunteered for Prim, the only person I certainly know I love, and Effie Trinket called Peeta Mellark's name.

I think in the boy with the bread's older brother, the one who can still be reaped, but instead of finding another blonde guy, I meet a pair of challenging gray eyes. Dark hair, olive skin, pretty tall… It's Gale.

I want to scream but my throat doesn't let me do that. He steps forward and I realize that Peeta Mellark, who's next to me, is as surprised as I am. '_Why?'_ I wonder, '_Why are you doing this?'_

I shake my head, looking straight at him. '_Come back to your place, please. Don't do this!_' I think. He lifts his chin up and climbs up stairs to the stage. We stare at each other for a second until Peeta Merllak climbs down and looks at Gale, raising an eyebrow: I am sure he doesn't understand why he's doing this. He's replacing him, and they aren't even friends because they have never talked, even one.

I don't understand either.

Effie Trinket looks at him from head to toe and raises both eyebrows: she looks surprised, and maybe _**he**_ is the best thing that has ever happened in any Reaping. Sh takes his arms and takes him to the microphone with quick steps.

"Tell us your name, volunteer" she says, smiling. Gale looks at her and I can notice hate and repulsion in his eyes, however, he contains himself and leans closer to the microphone.

"Gale Hawthorne" he says without any hesitation. All the cameras are focused on him and his face is showing on all the screens from the Square. The people make the same gesture that they made to me, and Gale looks at me. They press their three middle fingers of their left hand against their lips, and then they point us.

They respect us, and everyone in here knows that we are the hunters from the districts… and that there won't be more meat anymore.

After a long pause, the Mayor recites another long speech but I am too focused on my thoughts. How will Gale's sibling survive? And her mother? And what about my own family? We made a pact and one of us was supposed to stay here! But no, Gale had to volunteer… And here we are, listening to Panem's anthem.

Gale strokes my right elbow and then takes my hand. I swallow, but I don't care that the cameras are showing our image, holding hands, all over the place: I feel safe with his scrapping hand taking mine and the calluses between his fingers against mine. I don't even realize when the anthem is over and they have to separate us to our farewell so then we can take the train to the Capitol.

The room where I am locking in is very luxurious. A few rays or sun get through the windows (that are covered by a pair of heavy curtains) and illuminate the black velvet sofa.

I take a sit and my mother, with Prim, get into the dark room. They round me with their arms, tears in their eyes. I contain my urge to cry with them, but I don't want to look weak. I hug my sister and I let them sit on my lap, while I give them both a few advices.

I get mad with my mother, who promises she won't be "absent" again, like when my father died. She says she was sick, but I tell her to be strong for both of them.

The peacekeepers show up too quickly.

"Promise me you'll come back, Katniss… Both of you" says Prim, breaking my heart: she knows it's impossible for me to win, and she even asks me to brin Gale back! "Will you try?"

"I promise I will" I don't like promising impossible things but… she's my sister. "I love you both!" I yell at them before the peace keepers close the door behind them.

After them, the baker, Peeta Merllak's father, shows up. He isn't a man who talks a lot, so it doesn't look weird for me that he finally talks after a few minutes. He gives me a small package.

"It's for you" I open them and… there are cookies! Delicious and homemade cookies… "Don't worry; your little sister won't starve. I'll check she eats"

For some reason I feel calm when this stranger says that he will take care of Prim. I nod.

"Thank you" I say, trying to smile a little. "Could you thank your son, for me?" He nods without even asking why.

The time ends and he leaves without the escorting of any peacekeepers.

After him, Madge walks in. She's really straight and she doesn't even let me greet her. She takes the golden pin from her dress and gives it to me. It's a very small bird, flying.

"Would you like to take this? They let you take something from your district for the Arena" she says, but I raise an eyebrow.

"Your pin?"

"Yes! I'll put it on your dress, okay?" she after she does that, she smiles at me. "Promise me you'll use it into the Arena"

"I will"

And there goes another promise…

She kisses my cheek before leaving and I realize she is my friend, or was, after all.

At least, Gale's family gets in after Madge: Hazelle with Rory, Vick and Posy. Every single one of them hugs me, but Gale's mother kisses my forehead and the little children run to stare at some paintings on the walls.

"Listen, Katniss…" she makes sure her children are away before keep on going, "I know about the pact, and I know you might be wondering why he did this. He always thinks he's doing what is right. You know Gale more than anyone else, okay? Please, try to keep him safe, try to control him because I don't want him to insult the Capitol on screen and that they kill him before even starting the Games" I nod and hug her.

The peacekeepers show up faster than the other times. My friend's siblings hug me as if I were their sister, and Hazelle kisses my forehead again. "Katniss, maybe you don't understand, but he's doing this because-"

The door closes before she can end the sentence.

I sit down again and stroke the soft and dark velvet before another peacekeepers escort me, with Gale, to our district's train station. Before boarding, the cameras focus on us again, and I can see Gale's face expression on a few screens: he looks as bored as me, and of course he didn't cry. Which means he isn't weak… but who would think he'll be another weak victim? Gale looks almost as a career tribute, and that makes me wonder… What if the Games change him and he turns into a murderer like them? What if he joins the careers?

He takes my hand and I look at the closest screen before boarding: I don't look happy, at all… I look nervous.

When we get into the car, the doors automatically close behind us. I hand loose, looking uncomfortable, and stroke the plaids of my mother's dress. Haymitch steps between us, walks through the hallway and he is so drunk that I can hear a laugher before the noise of a door closing. Effie rolls her eyes and then looks at both of us.

"You'll have one room for each other, with any kind of clothes you want and accessories into your wardrobes" she smiles at me and pats my head, "Don't worry! All these articles came from the Capitol! So you won't have to wear this old dress for dinner. Oh, and talking about dinner… it'll be ready in an hour"

She smiles again and leaves the hallway as I look at Gale, who's extremely quiet.

"I am mad at you because we had a greeting, and you're ruining your life" He nods and I sigh. "See you later, I guess…"

I walk through the corridor until I find my new room. Before closing its door, I can hear Gale's scream.

"By the way, your mother's dress looks pretty on you"

I think… I think I've just broken the door. I've got the doorknob on my hand: it's made of gold and has little pieces of diamonds. Therefore, I try to repair it.

Later, I get into the shower and press all the buttons. I look at my hands and even my nails are clean. After drying, I open a drawer and it has a lot of colorful clothes, and I even want to vomit… until a find a dark green shirt that matches with a pair of trousers. I look in the wardrobe for a pair of decent boots between some yellow and purple high heels. Then, I stare at my reflection in the mirror but I don't braid my hair again.

Effie opens the door and keeps the doorknob in her hand. She inspects it frowning for a seconds and then she looks at me, blankly.

"It was broken when I got in. I tried to repair it but…" I try to look as calmer as I can and she interrupts me.

"What a pity! We should tell someone about this… after dinner, of course. Come on, dear. Follow me, please" After getting out of the room I sigh: thank the odds she didn't hear the slam.

We enter in the dining-room, where there's a long table with the Capitol's sing, just as a reminder of where we are going. It's full with food that looks delicious… and Gale's repulsion face. He's sitting with his elbows on the table; he even left a free chair next to him for me. We stare at each other until I raise an eyebrow and he puts his elbows off the table after Effie complains.

"At least you have good manners" she says when we are already eating. "Last year's couple ate with their hands! I really wanted to vomit while watching then…"

Gale cleans with mouth and leans closer to my ear and whispers "How could anyone resist this?"

"Telling secrets at meetings is very rude" says Effie, eating more salad. Gale clears his throat and I try to stop him but…

"I said: How could a person from the Seam, where people starve and you should feel lucky if you live more than 40 years… resist him or herself of eating all these delicious dishes?" Then, he cleans his hands on the white tablecloth, smiling. Effie swallows and looks at him, surprised. Gale keeps eating and she pretends she didn't hear anything.

We finish dinner in completely silence. After that, we take place on a huge sofa and look at the rest of the tributes on screen, because they are showing all the reapings again. Of course I am not surprised that there are careers (they always volunteer), but a little girl from District 11 takes all my attention… until we appear, the very first volunteers of District 12.

They show how I run to my sister and pushed her behind me, then when I climbed to the stage and Haymitch fell from it (everyone started laughing in that part). Then Peeta Mellark was called and Gale step aside from my crowd of children. But they focused on our hands.

"That man should learn how to control himself. Maybe have some classes about presentation in front of the cameras…" says Effie about our mentor.

"He was drunk, like every year" replies Gale, angry.

"Like every day" I say, laughing. Gale joins me but Effie rolls her eyes. Then she says Haymitch Abernathy will be our difference between life and death in the Arena.

And talking about Haymitch… he gets into the room, lurching.

"Have I missed something interesting?" he vomits on the carpet and falls. The smell of alcohol mixed with vegetables isn't very nice…

"Go on! Keep laughing!" says Effie and she leaves. But it isn't out fault! We just can't control our laugher!

But then I stop laughing and stare at Gale for a second and remember that, in a few weeks… he could be killing me.

**END OF CHAPTER ONE**

* * *

Grammar? Spelling? Anything you want to tell me?

Just in case, CH4 (or A, because it's like an extra because it's Gale's POV) is like a bomb, because everything EVERYTHING changes after that.

**EVERYTHING.**

**I hope you liked this first chapter!**

**Camila**


	2. At Dawn

**Hey everyone!**

**So here's chapter 2 and I guess you are wondering why I updated it so quickly…**

**Well, I translated and posted this chapter yesterday on my blog, so…**

_**I HOPE YOU LIKE IT**__, because it's the English version of my own fanfic! (I even translated it myself)_

_Ps. The original CH2 is way longer, but I'll split it in the half so it's shorter and you won't get bored so easily._

_Ps2. I am posting this fanfic on my tumblr too: .com_

**Summary:** Gale volunteers at the 74th Hunger Games with Katniss. Is she angry with him? Of course, because he broke their pact, but she's worried about something else: a weird dream with a man, calling her to meet at dawn, under a tree…

* * *

**At dawn**

**When everything is over**

_It isn't just a game, it's way more than that_

FIRST PART: THE TRIBUTES

* * *

**Chapter 2: "At dawn, when everything is over"**

Haymitch tries to get up but he can't even control his fingers and laughs madly until he falls, unconscious. We take him from his arms and carry him to his room. Gale keeps joking about this, however, I am distant.

"You're too quiet" he says, raising an eyebrow.

"I don't know if you remember that I am mad at you because…"

"… I ruined my life. I know, I know…" he interrupts me and laughs.

We put our mentor into the shower and I let the water run. I feel ashamed of having to dirt the whole bathroom with his vomit, but the worst is that he doesn't even know that he's in his compartment. Gale notices the repulsion on my face when he tries to undress Haymitch.

"Don't worry. I got this"

"Thank you" I say in relief. I walk to the door but then I turn around. "Yes, you should become his favorite, because you'll need help in the Arena"

"Why?" he asks, laughing.

"Because if the careers don't kill you… Then _I will_"

I get out of the room, wide smiling. I lock myself into my room and eat some cookies.

I don't know why I said that to Gale, but I don't care, because I am enjoying the few days of life that I have.

After eating everything, I can't fall sleep. I feel guilty because I am sure I ate all these cookies while my family might have a knot in their stomach. I don't think they would eat the fresh strawberries without me, but I don't want to imagine their suffering, especially Prim's. In this kind of situations is when I thank God that I didn't drown Buttercup, because I am sure he might be on Prim's lap, trying to calm her down.

I roll on the sheets, trying to sleep again, but I can't. I even press my face against the pillow: it's so comfortable and the fabric is so soft… But my brain keeps working. I can't stop thinking that, this same day, I was eating berries with Gale at the Woods, hunting some squirrels… For a few seconds, I can imagine myself back at the Seam, fighting with my sister's cat, who wants to take what I took from the woods. Sleepy, I keep thinking that I am still in this hell until…

I run though the meadow, following my father. We are trying to hunt a wild pig while I am recollecting some small fruits, following our family's book. I realize I am small, younger… I think I am 11, because my hands look fragile as I take some roots from the ground. The winds caresses my face, I close my eyes and laugh. My father sings "The Hanging Tree" song with me. But when I open my eyes again… he's gone.

"Dad? Where are you?"

I run, desperately, looking for him, until chilling blanket of ash falls on me and I can't see anymore. I fall on the ground, covering my head with both hands, when I hear a explosion.

My father, ashes, explosion: all together… father's death.

I open my eyes and there's no trace of the beautiful wood: there's no grass anymore and the ground has a thin layer of ash. The bushes are burn and the trees are still on flames. The fire consumed every single drop of life from this place.

I look at my hands again, and now I am 16: I can say it because my legs are longer and my hands are pure bone.

"_Katniss…_" whispers a voice, far far away.

"_Dad?_" I ask back, heading towards they are calling me. I foot something and I look down, finding the old book from my mother's pharmacy among some debris. I took it and clean it's dirt away. "_Dad? Is that you?_" I ask, again.

"_Katniss… Are you, are you coming to the tree…?_

_Strange things did happened here,_

_No stranger would it be…_

_If we meet up at midnight_

_In the hanging tree…"_

Sings the voice, but it's more like a soft whisper.

I follow it, still asking if it's him or not, at the same time that my white dress flies as I run to a distant light, which the fire hasn't attacked yet. Fat away, I can see the figure of a person, pointing at the horizon, where the Sun is raising… and I can hear that beautiful voice again.

"_At dawn, when everything is over, you and I…"_

"Up, up, up! It's going to be a big, big day!" Effie's irritating voice wakes me up from this… 'dream', I guess we can call it that way. But it's more like a nightmare, and it's even worse than the usual one when the Coal Mine explodes: this time I am shaking and I feel weak and guilty at the same time, because maybe I could have saved him from the explosion. I am sure it was my father: my mother said many times that we couldn't sing that song, and he was the only one who used to sang it all the time. But I'll nerve know what he wanted to tell me: 'when everything is over, you and I…' What will happen to us?

I shake my head and I remember myself that it was just a dream, a stupid dream. I get up and wear the same clothes from last night. I guess today I'll meet my stylists and my preparation team.

I get into the dining-car and Effie brings me a cup of coffee, whispering terrible things (I think she's swearing). Haymitch is laughing and his face is completely red as a tomato. Gale is sitting, in front of him, with a toast on his hand and raising an eyebrow at our mentor.

I sit next to him, and he looks a bit uncomfortable. I guess he remembers what I told him last night, and that I am still mad at him, somehow.

Someone leaves a tray full of food in front of me: eggs, ham, fries and even a glass of orange juice. I take a long shot of the juice and it's delicious: it's a bit bitter, but pretty sweet at the same time. I only tasted orange juice once, for New Year. It was a really special day, because my father brought them.

Gale drinks some kind of hot juice, I can tell because I can see the vapor. I lick my lips and I imagine its taste… Gale looks at me and I swallow.

"Would you like to taste?" he asks, serious. "They call it 'hot chocolate'" He leans his cup next to me and I take it with both hands, looking at him doubtfully. "It tastes good…"

I approach my lips and drink, and it's true: I really like it and it's even better than I imagined. I give him the cup back and smile at him. "Thanks"

Then I eat everything that's on my plate and my stomach it about to explode, but I don't really care. I lean back on my chair and watch how everyone is eating: Gale's eyes show confusion (he doesn't know what else to eat) and Haymitch keeps drinking some kind of red substance mixed with liquor.

I don't wonder about why anybody from out district never wins the Games. I mean, we are too skinny and we don't even have much experience in the mines because we start working there when we are 18, so we aren't trained for anything and we are easy preys. I am shocked that our mentor only cares more about drinking than trying to make all these children win along the years… Maybe he cares about alcohol since he won the Second Quarter Quell.

I lean forward and I stare at the middle aged-man, who doesn't want to leave his crystal glass.

"I guess, as our mentor, you'll give us some kind of advice, huh?" I ask him.

"Stay alive" he replies before laughing.

I turn and look at Gale, who's sitting straight and stares at Haymitch: his eyes show disguise, hate, repulsion… The same expression he has when we talk about the Capitol in the Woods.

"Ha, really funny!" he exclaims, leaning forward the table. He takes Haymitch's glass and throws it away. "Maybe the Capitol citizens would pay for hear all your jokes"

Haymitch gets up and irons his coat as Gale gets up too. Then, Haymitch hits Gale's jaw, but he replies with another punch; and I am so desperate to stop them that I stick a knife in the table, between Haymitch's fingers. They both sit back again.

"I guess I've got a pair of fighters this year…" he whispers, giving me my knife back. Gale takes some ice and puts it on his jaw. Haymitch slaps his hand and takes the ice away. "NO! Let the bruise became part of your face, pretty boy. The crowd will think you've already fought with another tribute, and they'll like that"

"That's against the rules" Gale gives him a challenging look, but I'd like to know since when Gale cares about the rules, because he brake dozen of them every day.

"Just if they catch you" smiles Haymitch.

"Who cares about the rules?" whispers Gale to himself, laughing. They both smile at each other: I think they have started liking each other now.

"What else can you do with knives?" asks me Haymitch when they both stop laughing.

I throw my knife against the wall, perfectly between to wood panels. It makes me look better than I am, because my weapons are usually bow and arrows. I think I impressed him.

"Interesting… Come here, both of you" says Haymitch, pointing at the middle of the room with his head.

We follow him and he turns around us, touching our muscles. Then he touches my face and looks straight into my eyes. He lifts me and makes a gesture with his finger, connecting us. "Are you cousins, siblings…?" We shake our heads. "Well, you look very alike. Anyway, you're in good shape and the stylists will make you look very attractive." Then he lifts Gale's chin and laughs "But you won't need a lot of help, pretty boy"

Gale browns when Haymitch pats his cheeks.

Our mentor invites us to sit again and keeps talking. "Let's make a pact. You look very promising, so let's do this: if you don't interfere with my drinking, then I promise I'll be sober enough to help you, but only if you do everything I tell you"

"Fine" we say at the same time, nodding.

"We'll land at the train stations in a few minutes, and there you'll meet your preparation teams. You will have to do whatever they ask you to. If I find out that you resisted on something, our pact is over" he clears.

"But…" I start but he interrupts me.

"'But' nothing" He takes his bottle and gets out from the car, leaving us alone. Gale leans on one of the elegant couches from the room and laughs.

"What's going on with you?" I cross my arms against my chest and look at him, frowning.

"Are you ready to 'wear' only coal dust in front of all Panem's population?" he asks me back, smiling. My cheeks blush.

"If they don't burn me alive, I'll survive"

I am not going to say that I am not mad at him anymore, but I am getting through it. I sit in the sofa next to him and suddenly the car goes dark. Definitely, we are going through the mountains that protect the Capitol.

My heart melts and I can feel the adrenaline running through my veins, now that I am underground. I remember District 12's coal mine, where my father died… I hate the mine and now I do even more after my nightmare.

I'm cuddling when I feel Gale's arms around me. I guess he noticed my silence and he sat next to me. His father died in the mine too, so I guess he's suffering the same way I am now. But he never shows his feelings about that.

When the train finally leaves the endless tunnel, I breathe deeply and then, together, we jump to the windows to watch the hugeness of the Capitol itself. The buildings are enormous; people wear weird wigs and a lot of make-up. Everything is too colorful for my eyes.

A kid and his father point us and then every single person around them joins them and greets us, wide smiling. They are so excited that I want to vomit, because I know most of them will be betting on us in the Games and, at the end, they'll be happy if we win or lose. I walk away and sit on an armchair.

When I turn back I can see Gale, who deeply hates the Capitol, blowing kisses to the crowd. I throw him a pillow, hitting him straight on the back of his head. Gale turns around, laughing.

"What are you doing?" I yell at him, angry.

"Maybe I could become the next Finnick Odair, you know…" He winks at me and I sigh.

"Forget it, Hawthorne" I elude his imitation of a 'seductive' smile. Then he sits next to me.

"Don't worry, it's just acting" he says, seriously "I hate saying this but… Maybe we should try to win the crowd so we can get sponsors" Then he rounds my shoulders with his arms "Anyway, I'll always have a special place in my heart for the little girl who tried to steal my rabbits in the Woods, you know…"

I reject his arm, feelings how the anger controls me and the hate flows through my whole body. I am about to slap hi face when Haymitch gets into the car and interrupts me.

"Were you going to hit the pretty boy, sweetheart?" he says, joking. I put my hand down and Gale laughs. "I wanted to inform you that your preparation teams are ready and we must move to the Renovation Centre immediately" He gets out from the car, laughing loudly.

Gale looks at me and raises an eyebrow "Are you going to hit me, sweetheart?"

I slap him.

**END OF CHAPTER 2**

* * *

And, as usual

Grammar? Spelling? Something you'd like to say?

XOXOX

Camila


	3. The Chariots

**Hey! Sorry for the delay!**

**I've been sick for a few days and I've had tests (of course I am not in vacations yet) and well… Again, SORRY! But here's chapter 3 (in the original it's chapter 2, but I split it in a half so… yeah)**

**I hope you like it, as always.**

**Summary:** Gale volunteers at the 74th Hunger Games with Katniss. Is she angry with him? Of course, because he broke their pact, but she's worried about something else: a weird dream with a man, calling her to meet at dawn, under a tree…

* * *

**At dawn**

**When everything is over**

_It isn't just a game, it's way more than that_

FIRST PART: THE TRIBUTES

* * *

**Chapter 3: "The Chariots"**

I grint my teeth while Venia, a woman with turquoise hair and eccentric golden tattoos, pulled out some kind of fabric from my leg.

"I'm sorry!" she croons with her Capitol accent. "Don't worry, this is the last one and then I'm going to work on your eyebrows, hands…"

I hold tight the edges of the table and she pulls out the last one.

I've been in this room for three long hours. And I am sure my stylist doesn't want to see me until the preparation teams finishes working on me. Talking about that, they submerged me into a bathtub with some kind of rough substance, and then they rubbed many creams on my skin, that left it like recent-born baby skin. They shaped my nails (I bite them compulsorily) and then they pull of my excess of facial hair from my face. Does it bother me? Yes, but but I have to stay calm for Haymitch.

"Well done!" says Flavius, who twists his orange curls. "We can't stand cries!" he adds smiling while Venia and Octavia, a plump woman with light green skin, messages my face with a weird cream that stings, but then relaxes my skin.

They put out my robe and I stand there by their mercy. They applaud (themselves) for such a great job they've done.

"Thank you," I answer, obligating myself to smile. "We don't have many reasons to look well in District 12.."

"And I believe that because of the volume of hair from your eyebrows, sweetie," says Octavia, sadden. "Poor little girl!"

"You'll look like a goddess when Cinna takes over you!", sighs Venia.

Flavius says I look better, not like a hairy monkey anymore. Then they go away and he promises to call Cinna.

I stay there, alone and naked, staring at the quiet and boring white room where I am now as I stroke my braid. I remember my mother's dress and my shoes… I forgot them in the train. I regret that… until a young man gets in.

I am pretty sure he's Cinna. I doubt that for a second, but then he walks closer and realize he must be Cinna. He doesn't look like a normal Hunger Games' stylist because all of them wear exaggerated clothes and make-up. He has short brown hair, really delicate, so I am sure it's his real hair and not a wig. He walks around me and I can see his outfit: black shirt and a simple pair of black trousers as well… I look at his green eyes and he has a thin gold line of eyeliner that highlights that beautiful green he has.

"Hi, Katniss. I am Cinna, your stylist," He says with a really sweet voice. No Capitol tune.

"Hi…" I reply, really shy.

He turns around me, looking at my whole body, and I shiver.

"Who did your hair?"

"My mother."

"It's really beautiful. Simple but refines. She has really agile fingers…"

"You're new, aren't you?" I ask him, when he gives me my robe back.

"Yes, it's my first year actually."

"They gave you District 12" I grin, because all the new ones always get our district, the poorer and less wanted one.

"Actually, I asked for it," Cinna smiles at me, "Let's sit down and talk"

I follow him to a room where we take a sit in a really comfortable couch. This place is way more beautiful than the other room, and there's a small and really cute table in the middle of it. He presses a button, and suddenly, a lot of food appears in the middle of that little table. Everything looks so delicious that I can't contain myself and I take a piece of chicken, but it looks wrong for me because I think in how my life could be if I get food only pressing a button.

"How despicable we must seem to you…" he says. Does my face show that? Am I so predictable? "Whatever. Well, Katniss, let's talk about the chariots ride and your suits. Portia, my partner and your partner's stylist, and I have been thinking about dressing you alike. I guess you already know they must show something according to your district."

"Coal dust? Miner's suits? That's what they usually do…"

Cinna laughs. "No, this year will be a bit different. We are going to make you unforgettable, I am sure about that, and we are going to focus on coal, but not the way you are thinking" He notices my insecurity. "What does coal does? Burn, of course. You aren't afraid of fire, are you Katniss?"

I think my face says everything, because he smiles satisfactorily.

A few hours later I am wearing the most beautiful or deadly suit of the whole ceremony. It's a simple black unitards that cover my whole body, from neck to ankles, and leather boots to my knees. My cape is what takes all the attention, because Cinna is going to turn it on with his 'special fire'. Supposedly, we won't get burned alive, but I think I have enough reasons to doubt a bit about that.

When our stylists leave us alone to talk with the other preparation teams, Gale and me get closer to our chariots, who will be pull by huge dark horses.

Gale leans against the chariot, which is dusty black too, and he analyzes his cape's fabric. I look at him and well, I must admit… they did a great job with him: he hasn't got the shadow of my hand on his face, but his bruise highlighters a lot.

He twists it with his fingers, who hasn't got callus anymore because they took care of her hands. He strokes the cape and, then, looks at me.

"The thread is really strong," he says, putting the fabric closer to my face. "I could make really good nets with this at the Arena," I raise an eyebrow and he frowns. "What? Do you want to talk about how we are going to burn to death on live television?"

For hi tune, I realize two things: his angry but, mainly, I think he's a bit scared of our suits. I shake my head, releasing importance to his comment, and I realize one of the horses imitates me.

"I think he likes you", laughs Gale.

"OR it's trying to frighten away some flees," I add, sarcastically. How could an animal like me? "Let's make a deal, now that you're so scared of the cape: I'll pull out your cape if you pull out mine, okay?"

"I'm not scared of it!" He says, but then he sighs. "Okay, fine. Let's do that."

"Oh, poor boy! He's scared of fire!" I pat his face, laughing. Gale frowns again and throws my cape on my face, covering it… so I can see nothing.

"I don't know what you're laughing about, because you also said you didn't want to get burned alive."

I pull out my cape from my face and we both laugh: I have to admit I said that and I'm a bit scared. For a second, we forget about the ceremony and we act like teenagers again, just like the ones who used to hunt in the woods, laugh and bother each other… until Cinna and Portia interrupts us because it looks like 'the other tributes and talk with their mentors because of our noise". But that actually means they are staring at us because friendship between tributes is… unusual. Of course that' because they might have to kill each other in the Arena… Portia takes Gale away to talk alone and Cinna gets closer to my ear, looking angry. I froze because he might want to tell off me, but he doesn't want to be heard by the rest.

"Pretend I'm telling you off," I lower my face and he goes on. "It doesn't matter what people say about you. Just be yourself, okay?" I nod and Portia comes back with Gale. The murmuring of all those voices around us starts again. "Remember, the fire won't hurt you. It's completely harmless. I only wanted to tell you that again… just in case. The chariots parade is about to start, but before that I'll turn your capes on and headdress." He points at my head.

The huge sluicegates open and the first chariot, District 1, is pulled by their beautiful white horses. Those first tributes are given a huge ovation: the creams can be heard to the end, where we are. Of course the crowd was going to act that way because the careers are the favorite ones every year. The 'career tributes' or 'careers' are from District 1, 2 and 4, and they train during their whole lives, so they don't look as weak as we do because… they never starve. They were born to participate in the Games and they always volunteer. To the careers, join these Games is a honor, but for the rest of us it means 'premeditated death'. They always win.

I get into our chariot, with Gale, when the one from District 5 gets out and the yelling stops a bit. When the sixth car shows up the Capitol citizens have already get bored because the outfits aren't really exiting at all: they dress like trees, cowboys, giant seeds. When District 10 gets out, Cinna turns on our capes and I wait to feel my back burning, or my arms or my whole body, so I shut my eyes. But nothing happens.

I was expecting to be burnt alive thanks to my nightmare about the Woods , but that doesn't matter anymore because a deep voice calls for us, and our couple of black horses pull out our chariot… and the crows starts screaming!

Our outfits are… amazing and we left all the other tributes like fools.

I turn around and look at Cinna, who grins at me and gesticulates something with his lips that I can't understand. I turn to Gale to know if he understood… and he did.

"Try to act chamming," he whispers to my ear. "I know what I'm doing." He adds, taking my left hand. Then, he half smiles and waved at the crowd. I raise an eyebrow, but then I join him and the Capitol gets crazier than before.

I do what Gale told me to and throw kisses to the crowd. It's funny because there are people who're trying to catch it!

Gale looks extremely serious and he only smiled at the beginning. His body expression is scary: he's standing straight but he looks distant… like if all of this is usual for him.

I lean closer to his ear, after his bruise calls my attention again. "What happened to your face? It looks worse than when Haymitch actually hit you."

"We should talk about that later," he replies just when he pass near a group of girls who are near my age. And it looks his attitude is attractive to them because they turn crazy when he winks an eye to them: some of them laugh, nervously, and one of them faints… Gale isn't SO good looking (well, sort of). Anyway, watching them is funny and listen to her yells too: '_He blinked at me! No! He blinked at ME!_"

They are acclaiming our names, our real names, like if we were celebrities. And bothers me, but I think Gale gets even angrier than me. His face doesn't show that, but he squeezes my hand and even hurts me.

When we get to the podium, he helps me to get out of our chariot and we take place next to the little girl from District 11 and his partner. She looks at me and grins, but he frowns and looks away. Gale gives him a challenging look in return before President Snow starts his endless speech about the Hunger Games, what happened seventy-four years ago and more stupid things… I mean the reasons why we should remember all that.

When Panem's anthem begins, Gale rounds my shoulders with his arms, like if he was trying to protect me from… Snow's eyes focused on us?

**End of Chapter Three**

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**Comments? Something to tell me?**

**By the way, thanks for reading!**

**Camila**


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